A Yellowstone County district judge Monday ordered a former Senior High teacher convicted of raping a 14-year-old female student who later committed suicide to spend 30 days in jail.

Judge G. Todd Baugh sentenced Stacey Dean Rambold to 15 years in prison, with all but 31 days suspended, for sexual intercourse without consent.

Rambold pleaded guilty to the single felony charge in April in a case that began in 2008, when school officials and police first learned of the sexual relationship between Rambold and the girl, Cherice Morales.

Rambold was placed on paid leave in April of that year and resigned from his teaching job three months later. He also surrendered his teaching certificate.

In October 2008, prosecutors charged Rambold with three counts of sexual intercourse without consent, alleging that the then-49-year-old man had an ongoing sexual relationship with Morales, who was 14 at the time.

While the case was pending, and a few weeks before her 17th birthday, Morales took her own life.

The mother of the deceased teen, Auliea Hanlon, earlier testified that the rapes were “a major factor” in her daughter’s suicide. She pleaded with Baugh to send Rambold to prison for a lengthy term.

Baugh said he listened to recorded statements given by Morales before her death and believes that while she was a troubled youth, she was "as much in control of the situation" as Rambold.

The judge also said Morales was "older than her chronological age."

The case also resulted in a $91,000 wrongful-death settlement between School District 2 and Morales' family, who filed a civil lawsuit against the district.

Rambold had been warned by school officials in 2004 to avoid touching or being alone with female students.

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I can't believe this guy got off so easy.

I had a coworker that got 7 years for video taping his step-daughter in the bathroom.

Rambold's attorney, Jay Lansing, argued Monday for the suspended sentence. He said Rambold lost his career, his marriage and his home and has suffered a "scarlet letter of the Internet" as a result of publicity about the case.

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Although I can't blame the attorney for doing his job, the idea that he had "suffered enough" for his crime--when the victim of the crime had subsequently committed suicide--is appalling to me. It's really hard for me not to wish ill of this person.

Not sure how you concluded the judge was a "liberal". Saying a rape victim was asking for it is not generally a position associated with liberalism. "She looked older" is the classic rationalization for child rape. And a 14 year old cannot have an "ongoing relationship" with a 49 year old. The actual wording should be "He repeatedly raped the young girl."

That "suffered enough" is another classic rationalization. We heard it in the Stubenville case when supposedly responsible media outlets like CNN reported that the rapists' lives were ruined by the conviction. In the ongoing Texas case where as many as 20 men raped an 11 year old girl (whom the New York Times reported, surprise!, "looked older") the news story reported the suspected rapists as "those poor boys" whose "would have to live with this [rape convictions] all their lives". And of course poor Jerry Sandusky's life and reputation were "ruined".

If you don't want your life ruined, don't rape children. Or adults.

If this was not bad enough, in 2004 this same teacher was charged with molestation and under order to not be alone with young women or girls.

I am rarely outraged by liberal judges anymore with the stuff I see so often, but this one really got me.

That judge should be disbarred and removed. Then, the rapist should serve out his full term.

Anything less that that is also a true travesty.

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I don't know why "liberal" judge had to be thrown in there, since all kind of judges make these idiotic decisions (and some are far more complicated and predicated on plea bargains, and other stupid laws). It could be that this guy, along with the "conservative" judges, is just a big fucking tool. Not sure why, again, you brought up political leanings into the discussion.

A girl took her own life because of what this piece of shit did. The Judge, which we have no proof he is liberal or conservative (because BOTH sides of the political ideology bench make fucking idiotic court decisions) other than personal bias seeping in.

Ironically enough, if anything a liberal judge would side with the victim far more than the perp. Because remember, liberals always are looking to blame someone else. . .

All that said, this guy shouldn't be seeing the light of day for the rest of his life.

Apparently the prosecutors were throwing the book at the guy and he would have served 15 years or more. Then she took her own life and their star (only) witness was gone. They chose to plea bargain to 3 years of sex offender treatment program. The guy got thrown out of that program and this case went to court before the judge.

We're not going on the testimony before the court here, just the obvious notion that the rapist belongs in jail for an extended stay.

The girl may have consented (appears to be the case), it's not certain she took her life for any reason to do with this relationship, and the guy may have already been in custody for much of the 5 years between 2008 when the charges were first brought against him and today.

Apparently the prosecutors were throwing the book at the guy and he would have served 15 years or more. Then she took her own life and their star (only) witness was gone. They chose to plea bargain to 3 years of sex offender treatment program. The guy got thrown out of that program and this case went to court before the judge.

We're not going on the testimony before the court here, just the obvious notion that the rapist belongs in jail for an extended stay.

The girl may have consented (appears to be the case), it's not certain she took her life for any reason to do with this relationship, and the guy may have already been in custody for much of the 5 years between 2008 when the charges were first brought against him and today.

Apparently the prosecutors were throwing the book at the guy and he would have served 15 years or more. Then she took her own life and their star (only) witness was gone. They chose to plea bargain to 3 years of sex offender treatment program. The guy got thrown out of that program and this case went to court before the judge.

We're not going on the testimony before the court here, just the obvious notion that the rapist belongs in jail for an extended stay.

The girl may have consented (appears to be the case), it's not certain she took her life for any reason to do with this relationship, and the guy may have already been in custody for much of the 5 years between 2008 when the charges were first brought against him and today.

I'm not standing up for the rapist. The judge is an idiot who failed to use the court's power of remedy to send the guy to prison. On the other hand, the prosecutors are idiots who granted away rights to prosecute on many charges.

Very true. I am in favor of unions, but it's decisions like this that really make it difficult to defend them.

I understand the need to certain protocols, for the defense against potential false accusations, but it seems that being asked to stay away from female students (if I understood it correctly) would be a good enough sign to not have him be around female students.

I don't know if it's the "real" outrage, as much as it's an outrage. To me, the fact he raped a child is a bigger outrage. The fact he was left in a position of power and authority should be addressed, no doubt. But I understand what your bigger overall point was.

Very true. I am in favor of unions, but it's decisions like this that really make it difficult to defend them.

I understand the need to certain protocols, for the defense against potential false accusations, but it seems that being asked to stay away from female students (if I understood it correctly) would be a good enough sign to not have him be around female students.

I don't know if it's the "real" outrage, as much as it's an outrage. To me, the fact he raped a child is a bigger outrage. The fact he was left in a position of power and authority should be addressed, no doubt. But I understand what your bigger overall point was.

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So fire the guy anyway and let the union sue to get the rapist's job back.

Most, I think all, tenure positions include "morals" clauses as exceptions for which a person can be fired.

It's not that unusual for a young person to have a crush on a teacher or some other older person. A decent responsible human being respects it for what it is, a symptom of immaturity, treats the young person with kindness and courtesy, and she/he generally gets over the crush in a year or so. This is not a case of two teens, 14 and 17, getting together! There is simply too much gap in age, experience and power for a 14 year old to have a consenting relationship with his/her 49 year old teacher. And it seems to have been established that the repeated rapes were a major contributing factor to her suicide.

It's like the judge was listening to the Police the night before the sentencing.

Young teacher, the subject
Of schoolgirl fantasy
She wants him so badly
Knows what she wants to be
Inside her there's longing
This girl's an open page
Book marking - she's so close now
This girl is half his age

Don't stand, don't stand so
Don't stand so close to me
Don't stand, don't stand so
Don't stand so close to me

Her friends are so jealous
You know how bad girls get
Sometimes it's not so easy
To be the teacher's pet
Temptation, frustration
So bad it makes him cry
Wet bus stop, she's waiting
His car is warm and dry

Don't stand, don't stand so
Don't stand so close to me
Don't stand, don't stand so
Don't stand so close to me

Loose talk in the classroom
To hurt they try and try
Strong words in the staffroom
The accusations fly
It's no use, he sees her
He starts to shake and cough
Just like the old man in
That book by Nabokov

Don't stand, don't stand so
Don't stand so close to me
Don't stand, don't stand so
Don't stand so close to me

Most, I think all, tenure positions include "morals" clauses as exceptions for which a person can be fired.

It's not that unusual for a young person to have a crush on a teacher or some other older person. A decent responsible human being respects it for what it is, a symptom of immaturity, treats the young person with kindness and courtesy, and she/he generally gets over the crush in a year or so. This is not a case of two teens, 14 and 17, getting together! There is simply too much gap in age, experience and power for a 14 year old to have a consenting relationship with his/her 49 year old teacher. And it seems to have been established that the repeated rapes were a major contributing factor to her suicide.

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Read the link. The judge read and listened to the girl's testimony and found she was as much in control of the situation as he was.

The girl seems to have consented, regardless of the age difference. Any rape was statutory.

The only link between her relationship and her suicide is the argument her mother made to the judge. Unless there's a suicide note citing the reasons, the rest is speculation.

It looks like the guy is fulfilling he terms of the deal he made with prosecutors. His lawyer argued that switching sex offender programs did not rise to a newer and higher level of punishment. His argument was persuasive.